This invention relates generally to refrigerators, and more specifically, to an ice maker for a refrigerator.
Some refrigerator freezers include an ice maker. The ice maker receives water for ice production from a water valve typically mounted to an exterior of a refrigerator case. A primary mode of heat transfer for making ice is convection. Specifically, by blowing cold air over an ice maker mold body, heat is removed from water in the mold body. As a result, ice is formed in the mold. Typically, the cold air blown over the ice maker mold body is first blown over the evaporator and then over the mold body by the evaporator fan.
Heat transferred in a given fluid due to convection can be increased or decreased by changing a film coefficient. The film coefficient is dependent on fluid velocity and temperature. With a high velocity and low temperature, the film coefficient is high, which promotes heat transfer and increasing the ice making rate. Therefore, when the refrigeration circuit is activated, i.e., when the compressor, evaporator fan, and condenser fan are on, ice is made at a quick rate as compared to when the refrigeration circuit is inactivated. Specifically, the air is not as cold and the air velocity is lower when the circuit is inactivated as compared to when the circuit is activated.
User demand for ice, however, is not related to the state of the refrigeration circuit. Specifically, a user may have a high demand for ice at a time in which the circuit in inactivated or may have no need for ice at a time at which the circuit is activated. Therefore, ice may be depleted during a period of high demand for ice by a user and the refrigeration circuit may not necessarily respond to the user demand by making ice more quickly.